Posts Tagged: material

I’ve spoken before about the myriad of new materials and surfaces making their way into our homes. But that doesn’t mean that old-school materials are out. In fact good old low-tech concrete is making a comeback. I’ve read that 10% or more of new homes incorporate concrete into the structure. And with a few tech… Read more »

The newel post in this photo was installed where a closet used to be. Why? Because planning codes required that the upper access to the stairwell be an open space. It could not be closed off with a door. Why again? Mainly to make it difficult to create a closed stairwell if a future owner… Read more »

We faced another challenge at the top of the stairs — the width of room and the walls in common. The wall on right was in common with the current office/bedroom, and the wall on the left was in common with the current kitchen. Neither of these walls could be moved without jeopardizing the… Read more »

We faced big challenges before we even started with the Westgate remodel. The existing house was too small for the owner’s needs. It was built on a sloping site, on a narrow lot, with no room for expansion except at the garage level below the house. Plus the existing house had a non-permitted bedroom/bathroom at… Read more »

A simple solution for a stunning textured wall is wood veneer wall covering. It’s also called wall paneling, although it’s not, and grasscloth, which it is not either. Nevertheless, I have been seeing more and more products like this available. Some of it is so striking that you have to see it to believe it. What’s… Read more »

A design feature that can add elegance and style to a remodel is nothing more complicated than an arch. Whether an exterior archway over the alcove, or an interior ceiling design, an arch can be a striking feature. They break up and soften horizontal and vertical lines and spaces. I’ve seen some amazing arch windows,… Read more »

This is a recent master bath remodel of an older home in downtown San Jose. The original bathroom had two access doors on each side of the bathroom, with the toilet behind one of the doors. Originally the bathroom was most likely a hall between two bedrooms. We kept the original doors and hardware, which… Read more »

Concrete has been around for thousands of years. The Romans were the first to use it on a grand scale. The Colosseum in Rome was built primarily with concrete, Yet we are still finding new applications for concrete in architectural design. Sometimes people use the words concrete and cement interchangeably. But concrete and cement are… Read more »